Transportation

1935[-]43

Fred Becker created this dynamic woodcut for the Federal Art Project during the Great Depression, celebrating the marvels of modern travel. A massive, stylized B&O locomotive chugs across the bottom, its wheels a chaotic mix of gears and motion, while a mail plane soars through a swirling sky above. This piece captures the 1930s excitement about speed and connectivity, using bold, carved lines and geometric shapes typical of American modernism. It was part of a massive government effort to employ artists and bring art into post offices and public buildings across the country.

Technique: woodcut

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